Life Expectancy Lab Due 8/30/18 8pm EST

ADD 50.6 MORE YEARS

Your Life expectancy is 49.2 years and your healthy life expectancy (the years free of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes) is 34.0. You can add up to 50.6 more years to your life and add healthy years to your life by optimizing your lifestyle and environment. Below are recommendations specific to you and information on how to implement these recommendations. For a more comprehensive approach to making these changes try our our online course  Staying Alive: 9 Habits for Living a Longer, Healthier Life

QUIT SMOKING

We’ve all heard about how smoking is terrible for your health. But consider one more grim statistic: Smoking can cut your life short by eight years. Simply put, quitting smoking is perhaps the greatest single step you can take to increase longevity.

Of course, smoking is an addiction and it’s incredibly difficult to quit. Everyone needs help. Fortunately, there are lots of resources – it’s a matter of finding ones that works for you.

Here are a few we like that can help get you started:

· Author Allen Carr’s book  “Easy Way to Stop Smoking”  is a best-selling book that advocates a drug-free approach.

· QUITNET  puts an emphasis on a supportive community.

· A number of government health sites have great tips, including  Smokefree.gov , which offers a free live chat for help, and  five steps for your Quit Day .

· The American Lung Association has answers to common questions and   lots of good advice , including this: Make your doctor a key ally – health professionals don’t judge, they help you get to a smokefree life.

WHOLE GRAINS

Scientific studies have shown that whole grains do far more to cut our risk of stroke, heart disease and diabetes than refined grains.

What’s the difference? Whole grain foods still include the entire grain kernel ― the bran, germ, and endosperm, the  USDA notes . In refined grains, the bran and the germ have been milled out. That means those foods (think white bread, white rice) have a finer texture and longer shelf life, but they lack a lot of what’s good for you, including fiber, iron and a number of B vitamins.

So it’s a real problem that most Americans do not get the necessary daily recommended servings of whole grains: 3- to 4-ounce equivalents for most men and women. (Find out which foods constitute a serving on this government  table .)

There are lots of recipes that can help you increase your daily serving of whole grains. Here’s one to start with:  Ikarian-style sourdough bread , and a  video  on how they make it in Ikaria, Greece.

ENJOY FRUIT

Fruits are a fantastic source of minerals, vitamins and enzymes. As the  Mayo Clinic notes , fruit is packed with natural phytochemicals that help prevent a wide variety of ailments, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Think vitamin and mineral supplements are just as good? They aren’t, scientific studies say – one medical journal editorial called the pills a  waste of money .

Here are a few recipes to get more actual fruit in your meals:

· Avocado mix : Simple recipe from actress Cameron Diaz (a  longevity expert in her own right ).

· Banana/pineapple smoothie : Just five ingredients – quick and refreshing.

· Raw peach tart : Gluten free and no added sugar. The perfect summertime potluck dish.

· Lemon and dill bean salad : Quick, easy and customizable. Try with blueberries!

EAT GREENS

Not a big veggie fan? You’re not alone. Only about 9 percent of U.S. adults are eating daily recommended amounts of vegetables (2 to 3 cups), the  CDC reports .

But it’s time to give veggies another chance (and we’re going to help you make them taste great).

The case for vegetables is clear: They are packed with nutrients, high in fiber, and low in sugar and calories. (To see which vegetables are true “powerhouse” foods, check out  this CDC list  that ranks veggies based on their nutrition density.) Veggies help lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, and likely some cancers. Vegetables can also lower the risk of eye and digestive problems and mellow the effect on blood sugar that can keeps appetite in check.

But we know your dispute with vegetables is that they are … yucky. Right? Wrong! Vegetables can be delicious – you just need the right dishes. Here are a few Blue Zones  recipes  to get you started:

· Kabocha Squash Soba Noodle Bowl : The dressing is made from orange juice and honey.

· Artichoke Pesto : This recipe calls for cilantro, garlic, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.

· Broccoli and Cashew Cream Soup : Perfect for a cold winter night.

· Thai Salad with Coconut Curry Dressing : A refreshing blend of flavors and textures!

SLEEP WELL

Sleep is absolutely vital to your overall mental, emotional and physical health, the  National Institutes of Health says . A lack of sleep robs the brain of its time to recharge, and that can hamper your ability to work, think, learn, get along with other people, and even keep yourself safe. Sleep can also affect your weight: Too little sleep alters levels of hormones that regulate hunger, which can  lead to obesity .

How much sleep do you need? The National Sleep Foundation stresses that  healthy sleep varies  for each individual, but most Americans need between 7 and 9 hours a night. (Check out this 2-minute Sleep Foundation  video  on how sleep affects the brain.)

Get more science-backed tips on how to get a better night’s sleep from our Blue Zones  Checklists .

EAT LESS MEAT

The World Health Organization recently issued a  report  that had a lot of meat-lovers seeing red. It concluded that eating processed meats like bacon, ham and lunch meats can increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer, noting that red meats like beef and pork are “probably carcinogenic.”

In the Blue Zones, people don’t eat nearly the amounts of meat that Americans do. We found that people there on average were eating small amounts of meat, about 2 ounces or less at a time (a portion the size of a deck of cards), about five times per month.

Looking for ways to eat less meat? The American Cancer Society  offers this tip : Treat meat more like a side dish, not the main one. And the American Heart Association  offers this advice : Limit yourself to lean meat like skinless chicken and fish, and less than 6 ounces total per day. For more, check out the  Reducetarian movement, which urges people to reduce meat consumption (but not cut it out altogether).

Here are four tasty and filling Blue Zones plant-based recipes that make a great main dish for any meal:

· 5-Minute Tasty Squash and Beans

· Cauliflower-Chickpea Tacos

· Ikarian Longevity Stew with Black Eyed Peas

· Longevity Minestrone Soup

RAISE A GLASS

You’ve probably heard a lot about health benefits being linked to moderate drinking, particularly red wine. Indeed,  Harvard’s School of Public Health says  that more than 100 prospective studies suggest that moderate drinking is associated with a lower risk of heart ailments and death from heart disease. (A  more recent analysis  of 87 studies found that some research that favors moderate drinking may have been based on “biased data.”)

What we know from the Blue Zones  is that a daily drink is associated with greater longevity. We also know that consistency and moderation seem to be key. Some of the benefit of moderate drinking may be related to the fact that a glass of wine or sake is commonly shared with friends and family – and that social interaction is key to longevity.

The bottom line on “bottom’s up”? Remember this from the American Institute for Cancer Research’s  guidelines : No more than two drinks for men and one for women per day.

DUMP JUNK

The joys of junk food are clear: It’s cheap, fast, tasty and available everywhere. But America’s favorite sweets, snacks and fast food are also chock full of calories from refined sugars and artery-clogging fats, loaded with sodium and lacking anything of nutritional value, including fiber, vitamins and minerals.

There’s no question that junk food has made America fat and is a  growing health hazard worldwide . Eating these foods can lead to any number of ailments, including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and many types of cancer.

But here’s the good news: Cutting junk food out of your diet may not be as hard as you think. Blue Zones  Checklists  offer science-backed tips on how to set up your environment to cut out junk food and eat healthier.

CUT SODIUM

Shaking your salt habit will help you lower blood pressure, which can curb risk of stroke and heart disease. A recent study also suggested that high sodium intake is also bad for our bones.

But Americans love their salt. The  American Heart Association recommends  that adults get no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day;  U.S. government guidelines  recommend less than 2,300 milligrams. But most U.S. adults get way more than that, roughly 3,400 milligrams. And the salt shaker is not our biggest enemy. More than  75 percent  of our sodium intake comes from restaurant and processed foods (roughly 40 percent of it comes from a  list of 10  of high-sodium foods, including pizza and deli meats).

For tips on how to change your environment to eat less salt and lead healthier lives, check out our Blue Zones Kitchen  Checklist .

BE FRIENDLY

Research suggests  that strong friendships may lead to a longer life. That certainly seems true in the world’s Blue Zones, where social connectedness is the traditional norm. In Japan, they have a name for close knit circles of friends who lean on each other for support throughout their lives: moai. 

It makes sense when you think about the things our friends do for us. As the  Mayo Clinic notes , friends take an interest in our health and well-being, increase our happiness and reduce stress, help us cope with trauma and drama in our lives, and boost our sense of purpose (which is also among the  secrets to longevity  in the Blue Zones).

The lesson? Nurture the friendships you have, especially the ones with healthy, happy people.

You can learn more about about tending those relationships in these articles:

· For Years and Money: 5 Rules for Building True Friendships

· Friends Nourish the Body and Soul

HAVE FAITH

The one Blue Zone in the U.S. is in Loma Linda, California, which includes a cluster of Seventh Day Adventists. Much of their lifestyle (healthier plant-based diets, no smoking, pursuit of a strong sense of purpose) are likely contributors to their longevity.

But it’s also likely that routinely gathering together in faith leads to their longer lives. How do we know? All but five of the 263 Blue Zones centenarians we interviewed were part of a faith-based community. And when we crunched the numbers, we found that attending faith-based services four times a month added 4-14 years to the lives of the faithful.

Less frequent churchgoing seems to have health benefits, too; a recent sample of about 3,600 adults over 7.5 years found that those who attended a service at least once a month saw about a 30 percent reduced risk of death. Attending a religious service can foster what scientists call “social integration.” Building a strong social network of both family and friends has been shown to foster good mental and physical health.

Learn more about purpose, faith and how your outlook affects longevity:  Purpose, Faith and the Right Outlook

DON'T IGNORE DEPRESSION

Science tells us that depression is a real enemy of longevity. The condition is often associated with a number of unhealthy behaviors, including smoking and drinking, getting too little sleep and overeating. A World Health Organization  survey  concluded that depression can be even more damaging to health than chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes and arthritis. And depression is not uncommon – roughly  7.6 percent of people in the U.S. over age 12 suffer from it.

Important Tips:

· Most important, if you suspect you or a loved one is suffering from depression, don’t ignore it – get medical help. A wide variety of treatments are available, which may include therapy or medications, and health care professionals can help you decide what’s best for you, the  WHO notes .

· Pay attention to your diet. For example, studies suggest that people deficient in folic acid have higher risk of depression. Good sources of folate include green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, grains and legumes. Also pay attention to how you feel when you eat. People who eat when they feel depressed tend to have the most trouble losing weight, which can lead to other health problems.

· Exercise. If you are depressed, exercising might seem like the last thing you want to do, but it could make a big difference, the  Mayo Clinic says . Here are Mayo’s  tips  on how to get started.

· Lean on your friends and family. A strong support network is key to recovering from depression – and reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness, notes HelpGuide.org, an emotional health website. The site offers  10 tips  for reaching out and building relationships.

· Get screened for depression, especially as you get older. Depression is the most common form of mental illness among older adults, but it is also one of the most successfully treated illnesses, the  CDC notes .

· Have faith. Recent  studies  have suggested that people who are more religious are at lower risk of depression than those who are not spiritual.

ANXIETY AND STRESS

We’ve all felt moments of stress and anxiety. And in our busy in lives in a fast-moving world, sometimes we feel it routinely, along with the ill-health effects that stress creates.

But as with depression, stress is very treatable. A number of healthy habits can help you handle stress, from exercise and eating right to sleeping more and spending time with friends.

Learn more about maximizing health and longevity with this Blue Zones  article  on stress management, which includes four tips on effective strategies for combating stress in your life. The American Heart Association also has  good advice  on how to reduce stress.

IMPROVE YOUR ATTITUDE

Anger can surface in many places – in line at a coffee shop, or in traffic. Or maybe your anger runs deeper in the form of a long-simmering frustration over an issue at work or at home.

Anger is a normal human emotion, but coping with it effectively is key to your health. Festering anger can eventually erode important relationships in your life, as well as put you at higher risk for ailments from high blood pressure to heart disease.

So finding the right coping strategies can both smooth out your days and improve your longevity. One strategy: For one week, note the events and situations in your life that trigger a negative physical, mental or emotional response. Then seriously consider: What could you do differently next time to make yourself feel better about these events?

For more, check out these  three suggestions  from the Blue Zones Power 9 Principles designed to help you outsmart anger.

The Mayo Clinic also has “ 10 tips to tame your temper ,” which include using humor, and learning to let go of a grudge.